Life on Mars
TV

Life on Mars

Is he mad, in a coma… or has Detective Sam Tyler really travelled back in time?

7.7 /10 302 votes
January 9, 2006 - April 10, 2007 2 Seasons 16 Episodes 60 min Ended TV-14

Overview

A detective chief inspector from 2006 is investigating a serial killer when he is knocked over by a speeding car. Waking up, he finds himself mysteriously transported back in time to 1973. Initially struggling to come to terms with his situation, he has to come to terms with the old-fashioned technology and attitude of the day, while figuring out how he came to be trapped in the past.

Seasons & Episodes

Series 1

Series 1

2006 8 Episodes

The first series of Life On Mars focuses on Sam's life following the crash and his arrival in 1973. Elements are thrown in to suggest he is mad, in a coma, or travelled back in time. Also during the first series run, Sam is informed that he is DI (Detective Inspector) to DCI Gene Hunt and the rest of the CID department in Manchester in 1973. This revelation is something that Sam finds hard to understand; he spends most of the series working alone, against his team and Gene.

Series 2

Series 2

2007 8 Episodes

Sam learns that an operation is to be conducted on him in 2006 to try and revive him from his coma. However, he believes that to return to the twenty-first century, he has to betray his colleagues in 1973 — but can he regard them as imaginary, or are they real - at least for him?

Key Information

Created By Matthew Graham, Ashley Pharoah, Tony Jordan
Network BBC One
Type Scripted
Rating 7.7/10
Language EN
Country United Kingdom

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Cast & Crew

John Simm

John Simm

Sam Tyler

Philip Glenister

Philip Glenister

Gene Hunt

Liz White

Liz White

Annie Cartwright

Dean Andrews

Dean Andrews

Ray Carling

Marshall Lancaster

Marshall Lancaster

Chris Skelton

Noreen Kershaw

Noreen Kershaw

Phyllis Dobbs

Tony Marshall

Tony Marshall

Nelson

Joanne Froggatt

Joanne Froggatt

Ruth Tyler

Rafaella Hutchinson

Test Card Girl

Ralph Brown

Ralph Brown

Frank Morgan

Kevin McNally

Kevin McNally

Harry Woolf

Archie Panjabi

Archie Panjabi

Maya Roy

Photos

Frequently Asked Questions

A detective chief inspector from 2006 is investigating a serial killer when he is knocked over by a speeding car. Waking up, he finds himself mysteriously transported back in time...

Life on Mars has 2 seasons with 16 episodes.

Life on Mars premiered on January 9, 2006.

No, Life on Mars has ended. The final episode aired on April 10, 2007.

Life on Mars originally aired on BBC One. Check your local streaming services for availability.

Life on Mars was created by Matthew Graham.

Life on Mars has a rating of 7.7/10 based on user reviews.

Life on Mars is classified as Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy.